This morning I had just finished the dishes, swept the kitchen and all was silent for a second. That's when I heard it...a kind of scratching, shuffling noise. Behind the stove. My first thought was the plug was faulty and it was sparking. so I pulled the stove out of the wall....it was fine. That's when I got a flashlight! Remember when our house flooded last summer. Well, when they we're restoring it they dried it out and then drilled little holes in the walls to make sure it was dry. Apparently they didn't fill the holes behind the stove, which we're about an inch across. A mouse had made a home and was trying desperately to drag a part of a cookie that had been kicked under the stove into it's hole, to no avail. the cookie was too big. I was MAD! Some women may have run in fear or screamed, I wanted to throttle that mouse! So off to the hardware store, and a phone call to my mom for advice and soon I was ready. Armed with a whole box of decon, I shoveled decon into the hole as far as I could get it, then put a patch on the wall and mudded it. Decon makes mice thirsty and I am positive it will have to go outside for water, as there is no standing water in the house. I will give it 2 days, then I am going to climb under the deck, where I'm sure it's getting in, armed with expanding foam and steel wool. If I find a hole I will plug it with steel wool and fill it with expanding foam. THERE WILL BE NO MORE MICEY FRAT PARTIES HERE! Shawn was very interested in what I was doing all day, following me around saying, "What doin'?" I explained I was killing a mouse, and hoping it didn't die in my walls and smell. He looked at me and said, "What is kill?" Oops! I asked if he wanted to watch Thomas the Tank engine, that did it. Off he went!

Later, I went downstairs to the unfinished part of the basement and dismantled half of it, swept well and vacuumed for good measure, hiding pallets of decon in deep recesses where i KNOW my kids can't find it, and wouldn't dare go anyway....deep underneath very low shelves and behind the freezer. Tomorrow Sara is going to come out and help me unload the other side. Great time to clean it out and get rid of stuff eh!

So the moral of the story!

If you give a mouse a cookie...he will go call his friends and eat holes in your walls!

but if you give a mouse decon....he will go crawl for water and DIE!! AAHH hah ha ha h ah ahahahahaha....... oh, ehem, excuse me.

Monday, September 27, 2010

I know, I know, another news story...I'll write more later when I'm not frantically trying to get the Primary to run right, clean out my storage room, potty train a little terrible two and do homework with my kids. I know what your thinking...NEVER then....It'll happen! Don't worry.

A Warrenton man led police on a foot race through Astoria yards Sunday afternoon.

At one point, Nicholaus Allen Lindermyer, 26, had two Astoria police officers and one retired LAPD officer chasing him as he raced up Grand Avenue near 34th Street. An Oregon State Police trooper also joined the hunt.

Lindermyer was arrested for eluding a police officer, second-degree criminal trespass and first-degree burglary. He also had two warrants out for his arrest on original charges of obstructing police and first-degree burglary.

Astoria police had initially gone to stop Lindermyer as he drove northbound on 33rd Street. He was driving over the speed limit in a residential area and police also noticed he wasn't wearing his seatbelt. When Astoria Police Officer Joe Symonds turned around to stop Lindermyer, the man made a hard turn onto Franklin Ave.

Symonds followed and arrived just in time to see Lindermyer run from the car.

On Grand Avenue, a retired LAPD officer, Keith Butenshon, was walking his dog in his yard when he saw Lindermyer near his garage. Symonds yelled out that Lindermyer was under arrest and the retired officer entered into the chase.

Lindermyer was eventually found hiding in the basement of a residence on Harrison Avenue. Police charged him with first-degree burglary because he entered the basement without permission and had no right to be there, said Astoria Assistant Chief of Police Alan Oja

Montana woman fends off bear attack with zucchini

HELENA, Mont. — A Montana woman fended off a bear trying to muscle its way into her home Thursday by pelting the animal with a large piece of zucchini from her garden.

The woman suffered minor scratches and one of her dogs was wounded after tussling with the 200-pound bear.

The attack happened just after midnight when the woman let her three dogs into the backyard for their nighttime ritual before she headed to bed, Missoula County Sheriff's Lt. Rich Maricelli said. Authorities believe the black bear was just 25 yards away, eating apples from a tree.

Two of the dogs sensed the bear, began barking and ran away, Maricelli said. The third dog, a 12-year-old collie that wasn't very mobile, remained close to the woman as she stood in the doorway of the home near Frenchtown in western Montana.

Before she knew what was happening, the bear was on top of the dog and batting the collie back and forth, Maricelli said.

"She kicked the bear with her left leg as hard as she could, and she said she felt like she caught it pretty solidly under the chin," Maricelli said.

But as she kicked, the bruin swiped at her leg with its paw and ripped her jeans.

The bear then turned its full attention to the woman in the doorway. She retreated into the house and tried to close the door, but the bear stuck its head and part of a shoulder through the doorway.

The woman held onto the door with her right hand. With her left, she reached behind and grabbed a 14-inch zucchini that she had picked from her garden earlier and was sitting on the kitchen counter, Maricelli said.

She threw the vegetable. It bopped the bruin on the top of its head and the animal fled, Maricelli said.

The woman called for help from a relative staying with her. They found the collie outside, unable to move, and took it to a veterinarian.

The dog appeared to be fine on Thursday, but the vet was keeping it for observation, Maricelli said.

The woman did not need medical attention for the scratches on her leg, though she got a tetanus shot as a precaution, Maricelli said.

Fish and wildlife officials were searching for the bear on Thursday.

Maricelli interviewed the woman, but said the sheriff's office was complying with her wish not to identify her.

"She was very, very shaken, and it kind of took the humor portion out of it for me," Maricelli said. "She said it had this horrific growl and was snarling.

"(But) she can see the humor in it, and she wanted the story put out so the local residents can take precautionary measures," he added.

I have always wanted a small baby. That, I believe, is the wish of every mother who has babies 8.5-10 pounds. We just want one little one. Shawn was 8lb 13oz, not small at birth, but that was the culmination of his hugeness. He just decided he was going to slow down, and not get any bigger. So, in a way, I received my wish. His 2 year appointment yesterday revealed the one pound he gained last year. ONE POUND. That's it. I looked at the doctor and asked, "Is that normal?" She showed me his chart that revealed he is still growing, last year he was in the 40th percentile, now he's in the 30th. When I told Mark his reply was, "How do we fix that?" I don't know. Daddy was smaller in his childhood, so I assume he just takes after his father. Huge change after my Ginormous older children, who we're all off the charts the other direction. Well, runty shawn, we Love you...and your smallness.

Last night, Marky chose to go to Boondocks for his birthday instead of having a friend party. There is go-karts, mini golf, arcade games, bumper boats, and many many more things to do. Because it was his birthday I had a coupon to get him in for free, even better! (sign up for their birthday club online!) I think he had a great time. Half way through, after the go-karts, he jumped up and down screaming, "This is the best birthday ever!" What a cute kid.

Tuesday, September 21, 2010

Here's one our family LOVES!!! I stole it from Rachel Ray and tweeked it for good measure!

Early Autumn Stew

Ingredients

2 pork tenderloins, silver skin removed (you can have a butcher do this for you) and cut into 2-inch cubes (sometimes it's cheaper to buy thick chops, watch the sales and get a good cheap piece, with the browning and boiling it will be plenty tender!)

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO), divided

1 large Spanish onion, cut into 2-inch dice (we cut ours to 1 inch, so it will fit in the kids mouths!)

4 McIntosh apples, peeled or unpeeled and cut into 2-inch dice (These I'd keep at least an inch, or they'll fall apart in the cooking!)

2 pinches allspice

1/2 cup dried sweetened cranberries

1 1/2 cups cloudy apple cider (You can use organic, or pressed cider the kind with the stuff on the bottom of the jar)

3-4 cups chicken stock (depending on how thick you like your stew)

1 loaf crusty bread

Preparation

Pre-heat a large, heavy-bottomed pot over high heat with two tablespoons of EVOO, about two turns of the pan.

Place the pieces of tenderloin onto a sheet tray (You can also put the flour, salt and pepper in a gallon zip lock and throw in the meat to toss. It's less messy and you can throw it away when your done!) and season them with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Toss with flour until well-coated.

Once ripples appear in the oil and it starts to very lightly smoke(make sure it's good and hot first! If you do this in the large pot your cooking the stew in you can deglaze it with the applecider and stir up the brown bits for flavor), add the pork to the pot and sear it until well-browned on all sides, 7-8 minutes (lots of brown bits will remain on the bottom of the pot). Remove the meat to a platter and reserve.

Add the remaining two tablespoons of EVOO to the pot along with the onion, carrot, celery, bay leaf and thyme, and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Cook the vegetables until they begin to tenderize, about 6-8 minutes then add in the apples, allspice and cranberries, and cook until the vegetables are quite tender, 3-5 minutes.

Deglaze the pan with the cider, scraping up the brown bits that are stuck to the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon. Add in the chicken stock and toss the pork back into the hot tub. Bring the mixture to a boil then reduce the heat and simmer for 8-10 minutes or until slightly thickened. Pull out the bay leaf and thyme sprigs from the pot and discard them.

To serve, line the bottom of six bowls with chunks of bread. Ladle the stew on top of the bread and enjoy! (We don't eat on the bread, but serve it on the side. We like the stew thick and don't have too much juice to spare for the bread!)

Saturday, September 11, 2010

In Armenia, they have produced the worlds largest chocolate bar. They make good chocolate over there too. Here's the article.

Armenia produces world's biggest chocolate bar

YEREVAN, Armenia (AP) - Anyone looking for huge amounts of free chocolate should book a flight to Armenia's capital next month. That's when the world's largest chocolate bar will be up for grabs in Yerevan's main square. The Guinness Book of World Records certified the 9,702-pound (4,410-kilogram) chocolate bar at a ceremony Saturday.

Shawn--looking at a man in the next campground with long brown hair and a beard--"Jesus!"

Marky--his first day of baseball, "Mom, why do I have to run around the bases, it seems dumb if I end up where I started!"

Marky--"I was playing rock, paper, scissors and Shawn cheated!"

Haley and Mark talking on the "Phone" (hands in ears) Haley--Helllo...is this Mark? Marky--No this is Brad....silence..Haley--Brad who?

Marky--"You know, in kindergarten Kashia really liked me....but we seperated in the first grade, she's in another class. Now Megan thinks I'm cute...Meeeeeggannn....ahhhhh she's cute. giggle"-heheheh

Marky after doing me a favor, "Yeah, I know I'm good. I just can't help it!"

Haley to Shawn, "You just don't understand!"

Mark and Haley Playing, Mark: "Haley, I am Harry Potter. (pointing stick at Haley) SILENCIO!" ..Haley just stares at him, Mark :"Good, now you can't talk." He goes on reading.

Mark--drawing a picture--"Look mom, these are fierce landscapers, they hunt birds and deer!" I reply.."Landscapers?" he says, "Yes! You know those people who hunt!"

Mark--"Mom, did you know that this used to be a lake?(salt flats) And if it were still here we'd all be under water? Wierd!"

Shawn--"What's this?" --to just about everything...;)

Haley, "Mom, I want to change my middle name to Ginger." -huh?

Driving down the highway(maybe in the twilight zone), listening to the news on the radio with my kids I started when suddenly it cracked then went silent. A voice came over the radio and said "Erin, Erin are you there?" Mark exclaimed. Mom! The car's talking to you.

Mark explaining to Haley what happens in a cemetery, "You die, then they bury you in a box, then you turn to dust, but you don't mind because your brain is in heaven!"

Marky in a Prayer, "We thank thee for Shawn that he could grown in mommy's tummy we really really like him, and want another."

Haley about the F-16 on display at the Aerospace Museum, 'Check it out mom! These are awesome!' (4 Years old?)

Blogging Buddies

Some of my Favorite Quotes

The right word may be effective, but no word was ever as effective as a rightly timed pause. - Mark Twain

I am always doing that which I can not do, in order that I may learn how to do it. - Pablo Picasso

The people who make a difference are not the ones with the credentials, but the ones with the concern. ~Max Lucado

The truth is more important than the facts. - Frank Lloyd Wright

~Strength is the capacity to break a chocolate bar into four pieces with your bare hands - and then eat just one of the pieces. ~Judith Viorst

If you ever start feeling like you have the goofiest, craziest, most dysfunctional family in the world, all you have to do is go to a state fair. Because five minutes at the fair, you'll be going, 'you know, we're alright. We are dang near royalty.' - Jeff Foxworthy

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder and it may be necessary from time to time to give a stupid or misinformed beholder a black eye.--Miss Piggy